


Tell me about it

by FallOutStucky



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: 5+1 Things, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-24
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-27 22:50:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5067898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallOutStucky/pseuds/FallOutStucky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve takes part in a competition his fellow soldiers came up with to see whose spouse is the best.<br/>or:<br/>Five times Steve tells them about Bucky and the one time they actually see him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just got this idea while rewatching Age of Ultron and the scene where Tony and Thor brag about Jane and Pepper came on and my mom said, hey just imagine if Steve joined them and was like: did I ever tell you guys what Bucky did that one time?

Steve looks up from the files he's been reading through when Sam enters the tent.  
His friend crosses his arms in front of his chest, shaking his head in disappointment.  
"Come on Rogers, take you're free time and join us at the fireplace. Enjoy the bit of time you have left with the team."  
Steve chuckles. "Only two months now, huh? Not gonna say I'll miss it."

"Ooh, come on Steve. Maybe not the desert and the gun fire, but them? Not even a tiny bit? I sure will and I was next to fainting one more time because of them when you."  
"Maybe", Steve admits. A few months ago, he'd been offered a job as the personal bodyguard of President Fury after rescuing 200 hundred prisoners and receiving the medal of honor. Of course, he took the job without second thought since it meant being back in D.C. for good and finally reunited with his family again.  
The only thing he had left to do now, before he and his men flew back to the states, was picking someone who would follow him into his position as Captain. Which also was the reason why he was sitting over his men's files in a stuffy tent while they were having fun outside.

"Well, I think it doesn't matter when I continue tomorrow..."  
"Awesome!", Sam exclaims. "Bring your chair, Stark stole the last one." He added while ducking under the tarpaulin. Steve shakes his head and closes the file he is currently holding in his hands. Okay, he would definitely miss them. He puts the files back into the drawer of his desk, takes a book out of another and stands up, lifting the chair and following Sam outside.

They are nine people, sitting around the fire. There is Sam, his second in command who's sitting with Rhodey, Maria and Clint, their sniper, watching them playing a game of cards and making sassy comments about their play. Besides them Tony, more of a weapons expert then an actual soldier, is engaged in a heated discussion with Thor while on the other side of the fire, Bruce, Phil and Sharon were simply chatting and drinking tea.  
Steve sits down next to Clint and starts reading the book he'd brought with him, not wanting to interrupt anyone.

He gets to read about ten pages before Thor's and Tony's discussion keeps him from going on. Sam has taken part in it, trying to prevent them from actually killing each other.  
"Hey, Cap. What about you?", Tony asks.

Steve blinks in confusion. "I'm sorry, what?"  
"We are trying to find out... well, whose spouse is the best, somehow. So Wilson here suggested we take this into group discussion and let our single companions here choose who wins."  
Steve nods, still not entirely understanding what Tony was trying to say.  
"So, do you have someone back home?"  
Oh. "Yeah. I'm married actually", Steve says.  
Stark whistles. "Well, look at that. Someone actually managed to capture our infamous Captain America. How?"  
"Ah ah", Sam interrupts. "If we´re gonna do that, we´re gonna do it properly."  
Thor shifts in his chair, changing his position into some more comfortable. "Okay, so how do you wanna do it?"

"Well", Maria says. "We, the single soldiers..."  
"Nice Alliteration, Hill."

"Shut it, Stark. So, we are asking you a few questions about your significant others, I would suggest and we'll analyze your answers."  
Rhodey continues: "And in two months, when we go home they"ll have to pick you up from the airport, so we can see them in person and can make our final decision."

Thor nods. "Okay, sounds good."  
"And we all can take part in it?", Clint asks.  
"Do you have someone? Yes? Then you're in."  
Clint, Thor and Tony, all raise their voices, announcing their participation, eager to battle each other in this dumb competition. All eyes are on Steve now.  
He frowns, it's really dumb and kinda senseless, but what did he have to lose anyway?  
"Alright, okay", he says.

"Yey!", Tony shouts. "So now that we have the basic rules, what do we win?"  
"Why does everything involve money with you, Stark?", Bruce asks, shaking his head. Tony just shrugs.  
"How about that: The losers sponsor the winner a date night with their sweetheart", Sharon suggests.  
"Yeah, okay", Thor and Clint agree. Tony seems somehow not really satisfied but doesn't speak up and Steve thinks there goes his I-have-nothing-to-lose-attidute. But he isn't one to chicken out now.  
So the four of them shake each others hands and the competition is settled. They agree to give the five others one day to come up with their questions and Steve goes back to his tent, thinking about what he had gotten himself into again.

That was one thing about Steve, not realizing when he had to shut up. It brought him into situations like this, but it also got him his rank as a Captain of the U.S. Army at a really young age. After three years, he was asked to lead a team, made up of the best soldiers in the whole army. They didn't do regular tours and managed special missions instead. For the last two years, they were doing some top secret undercover job to catch a group of terrorist, but now the mission was almost done and they could finally go home. Be reunited with their family.  
Of course it couldn't be that simple.

=☆=

They actually came up with a whole set of categories and confront Steve and the others with the first pair of questions the next evening over dinner. Steve is stuffing cold beans with bland-tasting sausages into his mouth, when the others join Thor, Clint and him at the table.

"Alright", Tony exclaims. "Read the first question, Sammy-boy."  
Steve buries his face in his hands while Sam flattens the piece of paper he took out of his pocket. It's scrambled and covered in dirty handwriting. Sharon on his other side has an empty paper and a pen to write down their answers.

Sam clears his throat.  
"They aren't really questions, so: How old are they and, before we get a real glimpse, how do they look? Describe them, using only three features. So choose wise."

Tony starts. "Ahem, well Pepper..."  
"Tony, we said no names!", Rhodey groans.  
"It's a nickname so relax, but okay. She's twenty-nine has well, a cute little nose, soft strawberry-blond hair and the most intelligent eyes I've ever seen."

Next one is Thor. "She's thirty-one, rather short, hella smart and pretty green eyes."

Then Clint. "Twenty-six. Fire red hair, a devilish smirk and she looks like she could kill you and probably actually can do so." Clint stares at the wall in awe about his mysterious girl.  
Sharon swallows. "God damn it, Barton. Where the hell did you get a girl like that?"

"Stop! That's another question. Steve, you're next." Sam nods towards him.  
He thinks a moment before speaking up.  
"Twenty-nine. Quite tall, actually. Short, dark hair and grayish blue eyes." Compared to the others, his description is kind of boring, but he doesn't care.

Sam goes on with the next question.  
"Relationship status. And we're talking how long, living situation and if kids or something are involved", Bruce read the next question.  
They continue in the same order as before.

"We've known each other for...", Tony thinks for a moment. "Six years, and been dating for almost three, from which we're living together for two. No kids or pets I know of."

Thor smiles with pride before starting to talk.  
"We've met in college, have been dating since then and married seven years ago. We have two kids, Erik is five and Ilvy three."

Sharon nods and writes that down, waiting for Clint to speak next.  
"We're living together since 2012 and been engaged for one year now. We'll plan to marry as soon as I get home. We have a dog, Lucky, and two cats, Sasha and Misha."

While they were talking, Steve has gotten a message from his General and just answeres while standing up, ready to leave.  
"Sorry, duty calls, but ahem...together for twelve years, married for eight. We got a daughter, Charlie, well Charlotte, who's almost five and a dog, Winter. Living together, obviously. See ya' !"  
Steve puts his dishes away and flees the conversation completely. He wished he'd never taken part in this dumb competition. His private life was never ment to be discussed with his fellow soldiers. Well, he did trust them, but he just didn't like any kind of attention.

=☆=

The next time though, he has to is about a week and a half later while Steve, Clint, Tony and Sam are a bit away from the fort to shoot at a couple of tin cans in attempt to kill time until someone gives them stuff to do.

The category they have to answer now is jobs. After Clint can't just let it go, Sam even tells them the other two's answers which Rhodey and Phil had gotten this morning over breakfast.  
It turns out, that Tony's girlfriend is the CEO of the cooperation owned by his dad and Thor's wife an astrophysicist which manages to raise her kids despite her job and an absent father with the help of their nanny, some girl called Darcy, and Thor's brother.

Clint's story is again a bit more exciting.  
"She works for the government, head of Security. Soon to be Steve's boss, I guess", he smirks. This gets Steve's attention and he actually winces at the thought, what all those girls have accomplished in their life. He has the highest respect for them. It´s especially interesting to him, that he gets to know Clint's soon to be wife better. Maybe this way he gets to stay in touch with at least two of them, since Sam too, leaves the army to work as a consultant at the VA.

"So what's your sweetheart doing for a living?", Sam asks, when Clint is finished.  
But, well. Steve has no reason not to brag a bit too.  
"MMA world champion and part-time model. We too have a school for martial arts and self defense, back home in D.C."

Tony's eyes go wide.  
"Holy shit, Rogers. Not only was I mistaken with you being an old virgin, no, you even managed to score an athlete and model!?"  
He shrugs. "Who do you think tought me how to survive out here? Haven't got all those skills from nothing."  
He aims at the can, shoots and sends it out into the desert. He leans over the wooden fence and puts on the same proud smirk Clint had earlier.

Sam nods appreciative, he falls back in the camping chair, tosses Clint another can to put on the stand and scribbles their answers down.

=☆=

Sam is trying to make a deal with the lunch lady to get an extra plate of grilled cheese sandwich, the only really tasty meal they provided, when Steve steps into the line behind him, speaking on the phone. He only gives Sam an absent nod. Understandable, since they can only give one a secure line for ten minutes before you have to end the call.

Sam has never seen the blond captain smile as bright as in that moment. It is a look of pure happiness. Steve must be talking to his wife and/or daughter.

"Alright, goodnight sweetie...Yeah, I can give you a real goodnight kiss in almost two weeks...Or 16 days, how ever you want to put it."  
He takes a plate from the stocking and continues to speak again.

"I love you more. Goodbye sweetie." And then after a pause in which the phone on the other side clearly changes the owner. "Hi. Yeah, me too. Is that so? Huh?", he asks teasingly.  
Steve doesn't even look what he puts on his plate, he's to caught up in the conversation. "Yeah, baby, I know. Really? That's awesome!"

He knocks a bottle of water over and Sam catches it for him, placing it back on the tray. Steve nods thankfully. "Thanks man. No... I'm currently having lunch but it was either call now or never... Yeah... Yeah, me too."

His face turns into a mix of sadness and courage.  
"Hey, come on. I'll be safe. Everything is going to be alright. Remember what I promised you all those years ago?... Yeah, and this sure as hell isn't it... yeah, I miss you too....I love you, more than anything, never forget that."

He shuts the phone down, staring at it. Then he seems to realize that Sam stood besides him, looking at his captain. "I'm sorry...", he starts, but Sam cuts him off right away.  
"Nah, no problem. My mom's the same, always worried and anxious. It's pretty normal I guess. She jumped around the living room and told her whole church that her prayers had worked when I told her that this would be the last mission."

Steve nods. "Yeah, it's just, you know, the two of us, we've been through so much together and I'm here, totally egoistic, risking my life every day..."  
"Hey, don't be like that. There's absolutely nothing egoistic about risking your life for the good of so many others, you know that."

Steve huffs out a laugh and grabs a piece of bread from the container.  
"Yeah, but I'm still glad it's the last time. The next time I'm getting myself in danger, it's at least at home."

=☆=

The next interrogation time comes with the beginning of their last week. It has been raining all day and Steve, Sam, Phil and Maria, as the rank highest of them had to sit through a day of filling out witness reports, answering endless questions and telling the details of their mission all over again.  
When they finally return to the camp, Sam has warmed them the leftovers of the stew from lunch and they sit together in Steve's tent. The only warm and dry place besides the kitchen. The questions this evening are light and Steve even enjoy the conversation.

They rank from their spouses hobbies, (tennis and reading from Tony, cooking and hiking from Thor) over who cooks (both Clint and Steve do, which earns them a few laughs and teasing from the boys and appreciative nods from the girls) to which one of them made the first step (turns out besides Tony none of them did).  
Then Phil reads out the last question of the day and Steve almost chokes on the cup of instant coffee.  
"What's the weirdest place you ever had sex in?"

"What the hell?", the man himself lets out.  
"Ahem. Just so you know, we never wrote this question down", Sharon tries to defend them.

All eyes shoot at Tony who is lying on the ground, laughing, together with, to their surprise, Rhodey, but the man had a few beers by now.  
"Just so we're clear", Sam insists and helds his hands up. "You don't have to answer to that."

"No, no...", Tony manages to choke out between laughing and trying to catch his breath. "You read it out, now we have to answer it."  
The others try to argue but Tony just starts to speak, ignoring them.  
"We had sex on my dad's desk!", he proudly announces. Bruce shakes his head in disappointment and says what everyone was thinking.  
"God damn it, Stark. That's not weird that's just disgusting."  
"But I..."  
"No. We should take points from you for that!"

Tony gives up and it is Thor's time to answer.  
The blond shrugs. "I don't know, guys. I guess we're pretty boring. We have kids for such a long time now, we're glad when we just do find time. There are no weird places involved. Unless you count that one time we had sex in the shed in our backyard, I guess."

Clint opens a bottle of whiskey while Rhodey writes Thor's answer down. He takes a sip and answers. Blushing for the first time since Steve has known him.  
"I don't think I can answer that truthfully without her somehow knowing and killing me."  
In that moment they all realize that every single one of them is secretly afraid of Clint's fiancee without even knowing her.

Next time it's Steve's job to turn red.  
He takes the whiskey Phil passes him and downs it in one swallow. It didn't help his blush or his shame and uncomfortableness.

"Well, one time we went to this art gallery in Brooklyn and oh Jesus, why am I even telling you this? Well at first we screwed in the toilets there. Tony shut up, that isn't it yet. We just didn't realize the time and they shut us in so... yeah, we kinda had sex on one... or three of the exhibits. In front of a glass window front."  
His blush must have reached the color of tomatoes. He takes another whiskey, slowly looking up at his friends.  
Tony's jaw has dropped. „Holy Hell... four times... In one night...“, he murmures to himself.  
Maria smirks  
"Well look at that. Cap, Cap, Cap. You sure as hell have my respect. This competition seems to bring sides out of you none of us would've expected to see."  
Yeah, and that's also why Steve shouldn't have taken part in it.

=☆=

The mood is bright and at the same time a bit nostalgic. It's their last evening before going home. And before saying goodbye to two of their comrades and friends. Sure, Steve's gonna miss them, but the only thing, he's thinking about now is, that in only one day, he'll be with his family again.

He has made his decision on who follows him in his position only yesterday and told his men this morning. His first choice would've been Sam, but since he too retired, he had picked Phil, trusting him to handle this bunch of idiots even better than he could.  
Steve was sure the older men had tears in his eyes when he told him and he was confident to have made the right choice.

So now, they are all sitting around the fire for the last time and Steve knows what is coming when Maria speaks up. "Alright guys, tomorrow the time has come that we make our final decision, but before that, here is the last time to increase your chances of winning."

Sam fakes a drum roll on an empty bucket before Maria continues.  
"Our last question is: How did you two meet?"  
Jesus Christ. Steve should've seen this coming, the last thing he wanted to do was to tell this story all over again. Before he can think of some excuse though, Tony starts to talk.

"Oh man, that's shit. There's nothing romantic or tragic in how we met!"  
"There never is, Stark this is real life, not some sort of romantic comedy, get your head outta your ass", Rhodey exclaims.  
Tony huffs out a laugh. "Fine. Well as I told you, she works for my Dad. She started out as his personal assistant during my time, developing weapons for him after college and before shipping of. We met, we got to like each other and eventually fell in love. End of story."

Thor's booming laugh surprises everyone. "Well, you don't find that impressive? My wife ran me over with her car when we first met. After I got out of hospital, she invited me for coffee and the rest is history."  
"Come on", Sharon says. "That's actually pretty cute." Thor just shrugs and Clint starts his story.

"Well it happened when I was on a mission in Budapest, six years ago." And Steve just knows, that this story is about to be something different again.  
"Me and my partner Kate were doing this top secret job in guarding some European diplomat. So the day before the event, we had the briefing with his security chef. We were sitting in that conference room and waited for almost two hours. And then she came in, in full combat gere, completely covered in blood. The moment I saw her, I was gone. Well, log story short, I made an idiot out of myself a couple of times which caused her to brake my nose, my hand and to send me into unconscious two times but finally she agreed on a date with me. The best decision she ever made."

"If you say so..." Tony manages to say while the others just sit there shaking their heads.  
"She never told me why she was covered in blood though", Clint adds, smiling absently.  
Steve swallows. And that woman was going to be his boss.

"So, big boy", Sharon addresses him. "You have the pleasure of telling the final story, make it a good one."  
And even though he doesn't want to, Steve begins to tell them. "We've known each other since we were kids, grew up in the same street. I don't know when exactly I realized that I was in love, but I know, that I never thought it could be returned. After all we were just friends, best friends of course. But nothing more.  
Now I think it had to come, you know? The two of us were always together, inseparable. We were the only thing the other had left since our parents both died before we were even grown up. We were about 18 I think when I came to the conclusion that I had to speak about my feelings if I wanted to be happy again.  
Our friendship would be strong enough to cope with that I thought. We lived at different ends of Brooklyn to that time since my uncle had taken care of me after my mom's death so we wanted to meet in the middle. I waited almost an hour and then I heard of the train crash..."

Steve swallows hard, eyes filled with tears because of the memories.  
"You don't have to go on if you don't want to", Sam suggests understanding and patting Steve's arm.  
The blond shakes his head.  
"No, no it's okay."

"So what happened?", Tony asks with no patience as ever.  
"Concussion which led into a three day long coma and a broken arm. Nothing to bad on first sight. And then, after waking up..."  
He takes a deep breath before going on.

"Have you any idea what it feels like, when the love of your life, the one person who means more than anything else to you, looks you in the eyes and doesn't know you? I hope, for your own good not. It's as if a part of you dies. The doctors tried almost everything, every method they knew, but nothing helped and it drove me insane."

"But now you're married, right? So something must have worked", Clint says looking devastated.  
"Yeah. Time and a lot of work, but somehow we got there. It drove us even closer, I think and we were never happier than now."  
He smiles and thinks about how they have never to be apart now that he's going home.  
"But none of us rode a train after that again."  
This even earns him a few laughs and relieves the tension.

=☆=

When they get on the airplane the next morning, Steve's incredible tired. He couldn't keep an eye shut and dreamed, for the first time in almost ten years about the accident. Now he slumps down besides Sam, far away from Tony who is stressing Maria to get the results. Steve was sure she would have killed them before the plane had even left the airport.

He thankfully took a sleeping pill from Thor and closes his eyes. He didn't open them again before they were about to arrive in D.C. within half an hour. Sharon informs him that this way, he had missed Rhodey and Bruce locking Tony in the toilet for almost half an hour.  
Steve laughed about it but doesn't really care. He is hungry and couldn't wait to be reunited with his family. His daughter wouldn't wait at the airport though since she had school and Steve insisted that she had to go even though his two stubborn brunettes tried to convince him otherwise.

He gets up to change into civil wear like his men had already done. He knew he had no one to impress, but after one and a half year apart, he wanted to look his best for his love.  
So, changed into a white v-neck, a pair of worn out jeans and a dark blue cardigan he returns to his seat.

A minute later, the pilot announces their arrival in D.C. and they all buckle up their seat belts again.  
Clint leans over to him.  
"I don't think Thor and Tony agree with me on that, but I really don't care about the damn competition, I'm just glad to see my girl again. I missed her so much."  
Steve smiles and nods, he knew exactly what Clint meant. Then the sniper's eyes went wide.  
"Please don't tell her that I called her my girl! She´s awesome and I love her, but she terrifies me a bit. You will like her, I'm sure of it. Make sure she can trust you and she'll move mountains for you."

"That really sounds like an awesome girl. I'm glad I'll get to know her in person", Steve answers. Before he can say anything else, the plane jerks and signals them the end of the flight.

It takes one hour more until they finally, finally get their package and make their way to the waiting hall together. Steve feels like a small child on Christmas and Tony wouldn't shut up about how he's sure that he's going to win. Sam just shrugs whenever he asks who's currently in first place. They step through the glass doors and Steve's look shoots up, searching.  
Sam looks up to him and shakes his head fondly. His friend looks like a love struck teenager.

At first his eyes are caught by a petite red head in a black coat and a light blue scarf. She holds a sing up with the words Big Bird Loser written on it with little hearts on the is. And when he looks into her face he knows what Clint meant with devilish smirk. She seems to be hard, tough and ice cold but as soon as she sees Clint her eyes lighten up, she throws her sign away and runs towards him.  
Clint drops his bag and catches her, she throws her legs around him and kisses him passionately.  
"I'm glad you're back idiot", she murmurs.  
Clint chuckles. "I love you too, Tasha."

The next one he recognizes is the tall girl Tony approaches. She wears a white business dress and talks with a chubby guy in a suit. When Tony sees her, he shuts up for the first time in the last fourteen hours. She smiles and kisses him. Then she hits him on the shoulder with her purse.  
"I hope you have a good enough reason for me to pick you up in D.C. instead of directly coming to New York."  
Tony nods excited and begins to tell, causing his girlfriend to hit him a few more times with her purse.

Which one of the two dozen people belonged to Thor was easy to tell. A small woman with sandy hair was carrying a little blonde girl on her hip which looked incredibly tired, but begins to break free from her mothers grip when she sees her Daddy. Thor picks her up and swirls her around, then picks his wife and his son too up. Squeezing them with his gigantic arms.

Sharon hugs her sister Peggy on his left, Sam waves his mum over and the rest of them check their tickets to look when they had to catch their connecting flight.  
He looks towards Steve who still looks around to search for his wife. He looks like a lost puppy standing there alone with Sam between his men, reunited with their families.

Waiting for his mom, he patts Steve's back.  
"Don't worry, we just arrived. We have time."  
Steve nods, but didn't seem to calm down. He just stares towards the doors and ignores pretty much everything else around him. Sam, being a good friend, starts staring with him at the doors.  
They open and Steve's breathing hitches, but only an elderly couple enteres the hall. And then again, a blonde girl. Minutes pass and Steve dunks his head, turning away.

Sam hugs his mother and assured her that yes, that really was the last time she had to be worried about him not coming back, when Tony and the others gather around them.

His girlfriend Pepper apologies about a thousand times for Tony's behavior and Thor's wife Jane hits it of with Bruce right away.

Clint's girlfriend Natasha makes her way straight to them and punches Steve in the shoulder. The blond looks down at her in confusion.  
"So you're the famous Captain America? Won't matter much from now on, that I'm your boss." And then she actually smiles a bit and Sam starts to like her.

"But what matter to me is, that you brought this idiot here back to me safely. So thanks for that."  
Steve nods at the first time really focusing on anyone.

At some point, he had stopped to look up every time the doors opened, but Sam does this time. Because they didn't just open, they crashed open and hit the wall.  
But again, it isn't Steve's wife. It is a young guy, about their age. A really good looking guy, though, with short dark hair and an even under the clothes obvious lean muscled body. He looked like he belonged on a GQ-cover and not a trashy airport waiting hall, in his black skinny jeans and tight gray Henley. He looks down on a small piece of paper, squinting at it as if he had trouble reading it.  
Sam turns around, not paying more attention to the man.

Steve shakes his head slightly. Panic rolls over him and pictures of car accidents and hospitals flash before his eyes. He takes a deep breath and tries to calm himself down. Sam is right. They only just arrived, it hadn't passed enough time for him to start panicking.  
Easy thing to say though, not so easy to do when all his friends where reunited with their families all around him.

He frowns when Tony comes up to them and starts to talk about the competition. Soon the others join them and their families are introduced. Steve politely shakes hands and mingles around, not really paying attention to anyone. It isn't until Clint's girlfriend Natasha starts talking to him that he relaxes a bit.

And then a deep, warm voice calls out for him. A voice he would recognize everywhere, out of millions others.

"Steve!"  
He swirls around, seeing the love of his life, his husband, his Bucky again, for the first time in almost two years. Bucky runs towards them and Steve shoves himself past Bruce to get to him. The two of them crush into each other, Steve wrapping his arms around Bucky and Bucky buries his head in the blond's neck.

"I missed you so much. So much", he whispers all over again.  
"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere", Steve whisperes back.  
Then he pulls Bucky's face up and leans their foreheads together, finally looking into those beautiful blue eyes again.

It may have been the long distance or the even longer time apart, or just because it was Bucky, but Steve was pretty this right now is the best kiss he ever had. Bucky holds him close, pressing their hips and mouths together as if he tries to unite them to one single person. Steve doesn't care what his friends must think. All he cares about now is Bucky.

Sam's eyes shoot to his fellow soldiers while Steve and GQ-guy are basically dry humping. Most of them have dropped their jaws and looked like they just witnessed the return of Jesus and a few like Thor, Clint and Sam himself just smiles, recovering from their minimal shock. Their families look just really confused.

After a few more seconds, they part from each other and Steve turns around, one arm still slung around the guy's lower back.  
Pushing his hair back, the brunet smiles shyly at them all.  
"Guys", Steve says, not without proud in his voice. "This is Bucky."

Pepper pushes Tony's mouth shut. Maria is the first to find her speech again.  
"Wait, wait, wait. So you're a guy?"

"Yeah? Why would I...?" He stops and frowns at Steve, loosening his grip and stamping his arms into his hips.  
"Jesus, Rogers. How did you manage to fuck up like that?" He shook his head. But the loving glimmer in his blue eyes gives him away.

"You goddamn punk. I'm not even surprised. How long are you friends with those guys? About two years? And they thought all along that I was a girl?"  
Rhodey interrupts and holds a hand up to defend their, now former, captain.  
"To be honest. We didn't even know you existed until about two months ago."

Bucky takes a deep breath and squeezed Steve's face. "After all we've been through, Stevie? And you won't mention me? Not even once."  
Steve shrugs, blushing slightly. "It somehow never came up. We didn't know about Natasha either!"  
The girl nods, knowingly.  
"Yep, I'm also not surprised about that at all."

Tony has caught himself again and starts to go on everyone´s nerves.  
"Well after all this trouble, who won?"  
A few annoyed groans erupt from around them and Sharon seems about to hit him in the face with her bag.

"What competition?", Bucky and Natasha ask in unison. Clint just shakes his head and Bucky leans his against Steve's shoulder and hugs him tightly, smiling up at him curiously and Steve realizes he doesn't care a bit about the result of the goddamn competition.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I actually never planned for this to have second chapter or sequel or anything like that but this last week I just thought hey, why not adding a little extra. 
> 
> So you can read it if you want. If you rather have your own imagination of what happens after, then don't? I don't know just decide for yourselves.

Saturday evenings for Steve and Bucky usually meant staying at home, watching a movie, cooking with their daughter or playing board games. At least when Steve didn't have to work.

It's been almost a year since his honorable dismissal from the army. Since he's left most of his special unit behind and had returned to DC.

Almost one year of working as a bodyguard for President Fury. Natasha Romanov, his new boss and fiancee of his former colleague was easy to work under. Since they shared many interests and values and the same kind of sarcastic humor, they became good friends really fast. She soon realized that Steve wasn't gonna be happy with standing in an office waiting and watching the President while being away from home eight hours each day. Therefore, it only took about two months until Steve was promoted to tactical supervisor, meaning he was in charge of planning and arranging security for events outside of the white house. This meant, he could do a lot of work from home while raising his daughter and only ever needed to be present on special events.

Almost one year now of Steve waking up to his husband's grumpy and tired morning face, of listening to his daughters piano practice and her wild stories about school and friends. One year of getting up at the break of day to take is dog and go for a run with Sam.

Almost one year of Steve being the happiest he's ever been.

So that very evening, the third of September, Steve doesn't have to work, and for once, they aren't planning on staying at home. Because that evening is the night of The Date.

Steve is sitting cross legged on his daughters bed with the red and pink flower pattern. His head is almost touching the white baldachin and he has to drop his elbows on his knees and lean forward to watch Charlie's performance.

He's been away for half a week because of a charity event in New York he had to attend. Therefore, he hasn't had the chance to watch the new fight choreography yet, his daughter has practiced for her to get the next belt in karate. Charlie had been grumpy the whole about not being able to show her skills to anyone. Since Bucky was her teacher he refused to see anything she does before the real examination. It has always been his highest priority to teach his daughter and his other students equally, not giving preference to a single child. Most times it is pretty easy since Bucky usually only teaches the advanced classes but when it comes to testing his students abilities and awarding them with belts he is the only licensed examiner within the stuff and from time to time be has to test his own students. Like his daughter this time.

So that's why Steve despite having next to no knowledge in any martial art besides kickboxing and his basic army training has to help his daughter out. His style of fighting had never had the finesse and precision of his husband's, not even amnesia had been able to trick his muscle memory there. But Steve's style had always been more rough and practical.

Still, he does his best to help Charlie as best as he could.

For a second, he looks down at his watch to see how much time was left until he has to go and get ready and almost instantly he hears his daughters voice.

"Papa! You're not even watching", she whines and throws herself over his lap, looking up at him with a sulky pout and sparkling blue eyes.

"I'm watching honey, just checking the time", he assures her pulling her up so she is sitting, facing him.

She smiles brightly showing of her cute little teeth gap. Then she gently grabs his face and rubs their noses together. Bucky had shown her the Eskimo kiss he and his sister used to give each other as children years ago and it had become her way of saying I love you.

"I like it that you and Daddy go out. You used to do that more often before I was born didn't you?", she asks.

Steve nods, chuckling softly. His little girl. Always observing and far to clever and witty for her age.

"Yeah, sometimes."

Her eyes get an triumphant glimmer. "Do you miss it?"

"Sometimes." There's no point in lying to her. She's to much like Bucky. Always looking beyond his bullshit. "But I wouldn't change a thing though and your Dad wouldn't either believe me. We'll take baking cookies with you over going out every time."

"It's still nice from time to time, right?", she asks curious. The nosiness about her parents love life was something she just recently picked up from Natasha and Sam. Much to Steve's despair and Bucky's amusement.

"Yeah. It's fun", he agrees, just as Bucky passes the open door. He peaks his head in, hair dripping wet and only a towel around his waist.

"Apropos fun, little angel, your Paps has to get himself ready and you go change and pack your bags, your aunt will be here in half an hour to pick you up."

"Yes, Daddy", Charlie answers well-behaved from her position on Steve's lap, leaning backwards until she can meet Bucky's eyes. The brunet gives a short nod and winks at her.

"And you get your lame ass up, Stevie", he shouts back before vanishing into the hallway.

Steve rolls his eyes affectionately before picking up his daughter and dragging her up and off of the bed, causing Charlie to giggle.

"You clever little beast. What are you planning on getting out of this, huh?", he teases her while tickling her sides.

"No…Nothing. Paps, j-just want you t-two t-to be happy", she manages between breaths until Steve finally releases her.

"You are an amazing child, you know that?"

"Yes!"

=☆=

Thirty minutes later and Steve is dressed in a maybe a bit to tight light blue button down and his second best slacks. He is just about to fix his hair when the doorbell rings.

Followed by a loud: "I'll get it!" And an even louder: "Aunt Becca!"

Steve shakes his head turning away from the mirror. He looks good, probably not as good as his husband in his almost look through lilac shirt and suit jacket, but still.

When he comes down the stairs, Rebecca is just hugging Bucky and trying to mess with his hair.

"Becs stop it, no!", he hisses while trying to push her away. Steve saves him by pulling his sister-in-law back and into a hug. Bucky shoots him a relieved and thankful grin.

"Hey, Rebecca. It's as always a pleasure to see you. For all of us", he states sarcastically.

"Ugh. Put your hands off of me, big guy. You already have my brother to get all cozy with. Besides, I'm only here for Charlie. I don't even like you two."

Charlie grins from where she is leaning against Bucky, her arms around his hips. "I like you the most, too!"

Both man gasp in shock and push the tow girls away from them to cling at each other. Steve has one hand on his chest the other backwards against his forehead like he's swooning and Bucky holds onto his shoulders as if keeping him from doing so.

"Our own daughter!"

"I've never felt this betrayed!"

"Where did we go wrong?"

The two girls just roll their eyes and make a run for Charlie's room, muttering something about the cupcakes they are going to make as soon as they are at Rebecca's.

Bucky drops his head down on Steve's shoulder who presses a kiss to the top of his head in return.

"Why do we let my younger sister corrupt our daughter again?", he mumbles.

"I don't know. The next time T'Challa is babysitting again. Come on, let's say them goodbye, we're already late."

Ten minutes later they're in the car and on their way towards the restaurant. It's apparently one of the best in only Washington but the whole East Coast. A place they would've never ended up without Stark's connections and money.

Bucky sighs and Steve shoots him a side glance without looking away from the road for too long.  
He knows exactly what Bucky's thinking about. It's not like they haven't gone on dates since Charlie's born or even since Steve's deployment. But this one is different, this one is the outcome of a totally idiotic competition with the rest of his team Steve had taken part in during his last months of being an army captain. The matter of which had been to find out whose spouse was the best. All not really normal but still pretty harmless. And then it had turned out that Steve has been enough of an idiot to make all his friends think he was married to a woman. Lucky him though, Bucky was already used to his crap since they were toddlers. He and Sam are still making fun of him.

Speaking of the devil…

Steve's phone rings and Bucky, since he isn't the one driving, picks up the and turns the phone on speaker.

"Hello?"

"Mrs. Rogers? Why the hell do you think I want to here your annoying voice? Where's the Captain?", Sam's voice echoes through the car.

"Samuel. It's always a pleasure hearing from you."

"I'm here, Sam. Hi."

"Oh thank god, wouldn't want to be alone with your boy toy."

Steve shakes his head, smiling. He'd already suspected that Sam and Bucky would take a liking to each other but didn't expect they'd start fighting like an old married couple the second they met. They trusted each other with their own life and more importantly with Steve's, shared the same sense of humor and wit but as soon as you left them alone in a room there was a 90% chance of one of them ending with a black eye or a broken wrist.

"Come on, Sam what's up?", Steve asks to cut off any fight before it can even break out.

"Oh yeah. So guys. It's the big night tonight, huh?", he asks clearly excited.

"Yep", Bucky answers. "We're already on our way. Almost there actually."

And this may be the first time that the two of them are having a civilized talk.

"Oh well, I can only imagine how much fun an evening in a fancy restaurant with Tony and the disaster assassin duo is gonna be."

"Yeah…Hey, listen Sam, we gonna call you as soon as we're done and tell you about everything."

There's a shuffling sound as the phone changes its owner.

"I sure as hell hope you do. We want details, Cap, details", a woman's excited voice yells.

"Sharon?", Steve asks confused.

"Hi, Steve. Hi Bucky."

"What's up guys, you excited to throw away some of Stark's money?"

"Rhodey?", Steve asks at the same moment as Bucky says: "James?"

What the hell are his former colleagues doing at Sam's? Why aren't they somewhere in South America on their newest mission?

"Exactly, Clint won't tell us anything and we're too scared to ask Natasha anything", Maria adds.

And isn't she supposed to be in Florida to work as an army instructor in the recruitment program?

"Guys, would you stop for a moment? What are the three of you doing here in D.C.?"

"Oh it's only the three of us", Sharon explains. "Banner and Coulson are here too, they are just getting dip from the kitchen. And how the hell did you become one of the youngest army captains ever without making a connection that if Clint and Thor are on leave chance are high that we are too!"

"Oh."

Bucky shakes his head. Not surprised at all.

"Yeah, we caught that Colombian drug baron way faster than we all thought and got a few weeks vacation", Rhodey explains. "And we thought, hey how to better spend it than here in D.C. eating all of Sam's food and drinking all of his alcohol while being way to invested in our friends relationships."

"Soo…same as always", Steve suggests.

"See, nothing changed since you and Sammy left", Maria adds.

Because yes, that's why they were all here. As everything had a price when gambling with Tony, so had their competition. This time the price being that the losers of the competition, in which besides Steve only Clint, Thor and Tony had taken part in, would sponsor the winner, as chosen by the rest of their team, a date night with their significant other. There was an actual list with points and the winner should've been chosen fair and with a real system behind it.

But then the whole thing with Bucky actually being a guy happened and no one dared to tell Natasha that she may not have been the best. So Clint had been crowns the winner. But then remaining team minus Sam and Steve had been ordered to South America, pushing their date back for an undefined amount of time.

In that time Tony had gotten the idea (or has come to senses, however you want to put it) that it would maybe be even more fun if they'd pushed the rivalry aside and would've just have a fun evening all together.

Within a few weeks Tony had picked a restaurant and more and planned everything out. So their evening is, at least the part Steve and Bucky already knew about at this point, consisting of a fancy dinner at the l'osteria, a trip to the fall fair and a big surprise afterwards. Whatever that part is gonna be.

Steve is pretty excited but still a bit nervous about what this big surprise was turning out to be. He knows Bucky isn't feeling much different.

"Alright guys", Bucky starts as Steve pulls into the parking lot. "We're there now. You'll get the whole story afterwards and don't you worry, Sharon I'll make it at detailed as possible."

"Yesss!"

"But knowing Stark it'll probably be sometimes tomorrow", Steve adds.

"Oooh."

"Okay, goodbye guys."

"Bye!", four voices yell back simultaneous.

Steve sighs and parks the car. He turns off the engine but doesn't open the door right away.

"Hey", Bucky says and Steve turns towards him. "We've been through this before but I'm gonna say it again, anyways. I'm not mad at you for exposing us in that dumb competition, just so you know. I'm actually glad for that idiots that are your friends. They managed to make our life way more exciting."

"And we get to eat in the best restaurant in town", Steve adds.

"Yeah, that too." Bucky pulls Steve in by his collar, kissing him deeply. "I love you."

"I love you, too.”

"Alright, let's do this."

Clint's already running towards them as Steve and Bucky exit the car.

"Yo, guys what took you that long?", he shouts good natured and pulls first Steve then Bucky into a hug.

"Look at you, of course you had to dress up like the fucking model you are, Buckstar. Always enjoying to make us look inadequate", he teases.

"You got it, Barton", Bucky answers and follows Clint towards the building, one arm draped over his shoulder. "Are the others already there?"

"Of course they are. You two are the last ones as always! I was sure Tasha was going to strangle you, but I put her on ice with a few cosmopolitans. Damn, I tell you their cocktails are amazing. You have to taste the…"

Clint rumbles on and Bucky shoots Steve a look over his shoulder and winks, grinning at him. He looks annoyed but his blue eyes glimmering with excitement show his real emotions.

Once again Steve can't help but be eternally thankful for how his life has turned out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it :)


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